The present invention relates to methods and assemblies for applying adhesive coated decorative objects to substrates such as sheets of glass.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,665,446 describes a method for applying pressure-sensitive adhesive coated graphics to a substrate (e.g., a sheet of glass) using a layer of pre-mask material comprising a polymeric cover sheet or layer and a layer of removable pressure-sensitive adhesive firmly adhered to one surface of the cover sheet with the layer of pre-mask material being vented. Generally that method includes the steps of adhering surfaces of the graphics opposite their layers of pressure-sensitive adhesive to the layer of pressure-sensitive adhesive on the layer of pre-mask material, using a wetting liquid to wet the graphics, the layer of pre-mask material and the substrate, placing the graphics adhered to the layer of pre-mask material at a desired location on the substrate; pressing out air and water from between the substrate and the graphics adhered to the layer of pre-mask material; allowing the wetting liquid to dry; and removing the layer of pre-mask material to leave the graphics adhered to the substrate.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,840,407 describes pieces of optical film, each of which pieces has a layer of pressure-sensitive adhesive along one surface, and an opposite outer major surface (e.g., a grooved and/or vapor coated surface) so that the pieces visually simulate decorative glass such as glass with beveled edges, or with a groove along its length, or with a leaded appearance, or with a textured surface, or visually simulate glass related structures such as metal came. Such pieces of optical film have been applied to substrates (e.g., window panes) in predetermined patterns using automated application equipment, however, heretofore it has been very difficult for persons such as homeowners to apply such optical film on windows or other glass substrates with the precision needed so that it provides the desired visual simulation.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/761,797 filed Jan. 17, 2001, describes a method for persons such as homeowners to apply to a substrate (e.g., a sheet of glass in a window or mirror) decorative designs made using separate pieces of optical film of the type described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,840,407, each of which pieces has a layer of adhesive along one surface, and an opposite outer major structured surface (e.g., a surface that is grooved and/or vapor coated) so that the pieces visually simulate decorative structures such as glass with beveled edges, or with a groove along its length, or with a leaded appearance, or with a textured surface, or glass related structures such as metal came. Generally, that method comprises the steps of (1) providing a kit including a layer of pre-mask material that is at least translucent comprising a cover sheet with a layer of removable adhesive (e.g., pressure-sensitive adhesive) firmly adhered to one surface; a predetermined printed design; and pieces of optical film having peripheral shapes that correspond to parts of the printed design, each of which pieces of optical film have a layer of adhesive (e.g., pressure-sensitive adhesive) along one surface, and an opposite outer major surface (e.g., a grooved and/or vapor coated surface) so that the pieces visually simulate decorative structures; (2) placing the pieces of optical film over portions of the design corresponding to their shapes with the outer major surfaces of the pieces of film along a common plane; (3) adhering the layer of adhesive on the layer of pre-mask material to the outer major surfaces of the pieces of film; (4) placing the pieces of optical film adhered to the layer of adhesive on the layer of pre-mask material at a desired location on the substrate, (5) pressing the layer of pre-mask material and thereby the pieces of optical film adhered to the layer of pre-mask material against the substrate, during which pressing step the layer of pre-mask material protects the outer major surfaces of the pieces of film from damage; and (6) removing the layer of pre-mask material to leave the pieces of optical film adhered to the substrate in the predetermined design. Preferably the layer of pre-mask material is or has been made transmissive of moisture vapor (e.g., a layer of pre-mask material that is vented as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,665,446), a wetting liquid is used to wet the pieces of optical film, the layer of pre-mask material and the substrate prior to the step of placing the pieces of optical film adhered to the layer of adhesive on the layer of pre-mask material at a desired location on the substrate, which wetting liquid is allowed to dry between that step and the step of removing the layer of pre-mask material.
The present invention provides a method for making a laminate that persons such as homeowners can use to accurately apply to a substrate (e.g., a sheet of glass in a window, door, or mirror) decorative designs made of pieces of decorative film particularly including (but not limited to) the optical film described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,840,407, each of which pieces of optical film has a layer of adhesive along one surface, and an opposite outer major surface (e.g., a surface that is grooved and/or vapor coated) so that the pieces visually simulate decorative structures such as glass with beveled edges, or with a groove along its length, or with a leaded appearance, or with a textured surface, or glass related structures such as metal came, or the optical film described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,882,774.
Generally the method according to the present invention for forming a laminate adapted for decorating a substrate includes (1) providing a layer of pre-mask material comprising a cover layer and a layer of removable adhesive firmly adhered to one surface of the cover layer; (2) providing a supply length of decorative film tape comprising a length of decorative film having a layer of aggressive adhesive along one major surface, and means in the decorative film for providing a decorative appearance when a major surface of the film is viewed (e.g., grooves or other structure along an outer major surface of the decorative film opposite the layer of adhesive so that the decorative film visually simulates a decorative structure, or light reflecting layers within the film, or other decorative structure); (3) providing a release liner having opposite first and second major surfaces, the first major surface of the release liner being adapted to be releasably adhered to the adhesive on the cover layer and the adhesive on the decorative film; and (4) providing a tape applicator. The release liner can be supported with its first major surface in the application plane, and the tape applicator includes means for forming and can be used to form display lengths of decorative film tape of different predetermined lengths and end shapes from the supply length of decorative film tape and to apply those display lengths of decorative film tape to the first surface of the release liner in a predetermined pattern with longitudinal edges of the display lengths of tape extending along predetermined edge locations, the pattern of application including aligned closely spaced ends for at least some of the applied display lengths of decorative film tape (e.g., spaces between closely spaced ends in the range of 0.005 to 0.12 inch or 0.13 to 0.30 cm). The layer of removable adhesive included in the layer of pre-mask material can then be adhered over the outer major surfaces of the display lengths of decorative film tape adhered to the release liner and to the release liner around the display lengths of decorative film tape.
The tape applicator provided can include means for forming and applying and can be used to form and apply discrete lengths of the decorative film tape to the first surface of the release liner in a predetermined pattern with longitudinal edges of the discrete lengths of decorative film tape extending along the entire lengths of the predetermined edge locations for the display lengths of decorative film tape and with portions of certain of the discrete lengths of decorative film tape overlapping each other. The tape applicator can also include separate means for transversely cutting the discrete lengths of tape adhered to the surface along the application plane and can be used to transversely cut those discrete lengths of decorative film tape to form ends for the display lengths of decorative film tape including aligned closely spaced ends at the overlapped portions of the applied discrete lengths of decorative film tape, thereby forming the display lengths of decorative film tape from the discrete lengths of decorative film tape. Scrap portions of the discrete lengths of decorative film tape resulting from cutting the discrete lengths of decorative film tape to form the display lengths of decorative film tape are removed from the release liner.
The resultant laminate includes the display lengths of decorative film tape in a decorative pattern adhered to the release liner by the layers of adhesive included in the display lengths of decorative film tape, and the layer of removable adhesive included in the layer of pre-mask material adhered to the outer major surfaces of the display lengths of decorative film tape opposite their layers of adhesive and to portions of the release liner around the display lengths of decorative film tape. A person, such as a homeowner, can then use the laminate to decorate a substrate (e.g., a glass sheet in a window, door, or mirror) by removing the release liner from the removable adhesive included in the layer of pre-mask material and the layers of adhesive included in the display lengths of decorative film tape that have their outer major surfaces adhered to the layer of removable adhesive included in the layer of pre-mask material; placing the then exposed layers of adhesive included in the layer of pre-mask material and in the display lengths of decorative film tape on the substrate with the display lengths of decorative film tape at a desired location along the substrate; pressing out air from between the substrate and the layers of adhesive included in the display lengths of decorative film tape; and removing the layer of pre-mask material to leave the display lengths of decorative film tape adhered to the substrate in the predetermined decorative pattern.
The cover layer and layer of adhesive on the cover layer can be selected to allow moisture vapor to pass between the surfaces of the layer of pre-mask material; and the method for using the laminate to decorate a substrate can further include using a wetting liquid (e.g., a solution of soap and water) to wet the layers of adhesive included in the display lengths of decorative film tape and the layer of pre-mask material and to wet the substrate before placing the display lengths of decorative film tape on the layer of pre-mask material along the substrate (i.e., the wetting liquid acts as a slip agent to aid in positioning the graphic at a desired location along the substrate), pressing out water along with the air from between the substrate and the layers of adhesive included in the pieces of decorative film tape, and allowing the wetting liquid to dry before removing the layer of pre-mask material.
An alternative method for forming essentially the same laminate described above from the same layer of pre-mask material, supply length of decorative film tape, and release liner described above using a similar tape applicator comprises supporting the layer of pre-mask material with the surface of its layer of removable adhesive opposite its cover layer in the application plane, and using the tape applicator to form display lengths of decorative film tape of different predetermined lengths and end shapes from the supply length of decorative film tape and to apply those display lengths of decorative film tape to the first surface of the layer of removable adhesive in a predetermined pattern with longitudinal edges of the display lengths of tape extending along predetermined edge locations, the pattern of application including aligned closely spaced ends for at least some of the applied display lengths of decorative film tape, and then pressing the release liner against the layer of aggressive adhesive on the display lengths of decorative film tape and the portions of the layer of removable adhesive included in the layer of pre-mask material exposed around the display lengths of decorative film tape.